Princess, a 6-year-old mare, was treated for lacerations to its front shoulder and its rear hock after it rolled into the hood of a car in Germantown, crushing the vehicle's windshield.

"We gave her pain medication, antibiotics and cleaned the wounds," said Ravi Murarka, the SPCA's chief veterinarian. He said that he feared the horse might have broken ribs and that it would be under close observation today in case complications arise.

The horse's owner, Milton Mangual, of the 200 block of West Hansberry Street, relinquished the animal to the SPCA for it to receive veterinary care. He keeps five more horses in a barn behind his property, and SPCA officers said the animals appeared to be well fed and maintained.

"I'm just a simple guy," said Mangual, 52. "It was just an accident. I love horses."

Princess pulled free from Mangual as he was attempting to graze her, striking several cars and people as she headed down Greene Street toward West Mount Airy.

An occupant of one car that was badly damaged was taken to the Albert Einstein Medical Center for treatment of what was believed to be a minor injury.

While the police radio crackled with reported sightings of the hit-and-run steed as it moved northwest, representatives of the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Association finally helped collar Princess behind a house in the 6600 block of Lincoln Drive. Police shut down traffic on the street while animal-control officers tried to calm the agitated mare.

Walt Jennings, 63, was gardening when he noticed an unusual creature next door. "We occasionally see a deer or a raccoon, but this is the first time for a horse," he said.

The spooked horse refused to enter a trailer, and Mangual ended up walking the animal away with a police escort. The horse was on the lam for about three hours.

It is not uncommon for city residents to keep horses, and SPCA officials said that the other horses on Mangual's property appeared to be in good care. He was not cited for any violations.

Murarka said he was hopeful the horse would recover. "The injuries do not appear that serious to put her down," he said, "but she's very fragile and very agitated."

Mangual was distressed at the attention - television crews followed him as he walked Princess two miles from West Mount Airy back to his property.

"If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning," he said.